The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device comprising an airbag, especially for a passenger, having a fastening portion as well as an inflatable restraining portion especially being adjacent to the fastening portion. The invention further relates to a vehicle seat comprising a vehicle occupant protection device of this type.
Airbags which are adapted to inflate upon crash of the vehicle and to absorb or at least to dampen the impact of the vehicle occupant onto vehicle structures in the interior are used in various embodiments inside the vehicle. Usually said airbags are arranged in the vehicle structure onto which the vehicle occupant may impact so that they can deploy toward the vehicle occupant in the case of crash. Front impact airbags are mounted, for example, in the vehicle steering wheel, in the instrument panel or on the passenger side beneath the vehicle interior lining arranged in front of the vehicle occupant. In the case of crash of the vehicle, the vehicle interior lining will open so that the airbag can deploy in front of the vehicle occupant.
The arrangement of the airbag beneath the vehicle interior lining restricts the options in terms of design of the vehicle interior, however. The surface and the material of the vehicle interior lining have to be selected so that they form a stable and high-quality surface during normal use of the vehicle. In the case of crash of the vehicle and of deployment of the airbag said surface is required to be easily opened via predetermined breaking points, however, so that the airbag can quickly deploy into the vehicle interior.
It is further required to select the materials and the structure of the vehicle interior lining so that, in the case of crash end of deployment of the airbag, they exhibit a most uncomplicated behavior so that no loose parts of the vehicle interior lining will fly around.
When arranging additional trays or compartments at the vehicle interior lining, in addition the arrangement and the direction of deployment of the airbag have to be taken into account.